Valves are used in various applications. Certain types of valves may be selectively opened and closed to control flow of a fluid, such as a liquid or gas, therethrough. Check valves, for example, are configured to prevent the flow of fluid in one direction, but, upon exertion of sufficient force, may be moved to allow the flow of fluid in such a direction.
Various valves may be used with respect to beverage containers in order to allow an individual to selectively open and close the containers. When the valve is in the open position, the beverage may be poured out of the container. In the closed position, the valve prevents the beverage from passing through and out of a nozzle of the container.
A known valve includes a housing that retains a conical coil spring that urges a polypropylene ball into a collar that surrounds an opening. An induction welded seal is secured over the opening, and a silicone O-ring is positioned around an outer neck portion of the housing. The seal is configured to be lifted and removed.
It has been found that the conical coil spring is difficult to install into the housing. The conical coil spring is typically manually inserted into the housing. Further, the ball is post-processed to eliminate a parting line flash to provide a reliable seal with respect to the collar. For example, the ball may be connected to the housing through a parting line flash, which is broken to allow the ball to move relative to the housing. As the parting line flash is broken or otherwise removed, portions of the parting line flash may be deposited onto the spring and/or the housing. As such, debris may be deposited within the valve and/or a beverage container to which the valve is secured.